Things Left Unsaid
by Nyhratak
Summary: Amidst Order 66. Ahsoka Tano thought her master to have vanished, but when she faces him once more in the Jedi Temple, she finds that the Dark Side has corrupted him. Captain Rex is given orders. Anakin is lost. Ahsoka must find an escape, or perish.


**Disclaimer: everything Star Wars belongs to its rightful owner(s), save for my OC Jedi.**

**This small oneshot was inspired by the song Things Left Unsaid, by Disciple, which this was inevitably named after. Listen to it, it's a very emotional expression of imminent loss. I felt really depressed when I wrote this, and so the mood will be very darkish and dishearteningish. You'll notice the first bit drags on slightly. That is so I can establish some things before I get to the main stuff. I also went with the concept of Shaak Ti surviving up until this point...just so you know. Um...I haven't read any fics on this subject that I know of. I don't think...So if you are under the impression that I purposely copied off you, you are mistaken I assure you!**

**Things Left Unsaid**

A portentous shadow of the enigmatic Order 66 swept over the galaxy like a plague. The Republic's clone armies were in mass revolt, overpowering and killing the Jedi commanders they once served. Worlds were falling, and surpassing all these problems was the irrefutable truth that there were inconceivably dark powers behind it. _All_ the peace keepers were going to die. There was not a single place a Jedi could go nowadays and not be found...

Standing atop the Jedi Temple, looking down in wretchedness on what was happening to her home, was nineteen-year-old Ahsoka Tano. She wore the conventional Jedi robe, with the hood pulled up over her head. The night wind whipped the material around her, and she absentmindedly wiped a stray tear away from her face with the back of her hand. Her head was bowed, mourning the loss of so many; she felt it in the Force, especially her dear friend, Plo Koon. His death was one she could not overlook so easily. Attachment of any kind was forbidden, yes, but with the Order deteriorating around her, Ahsoka felt free to privately express her grief. She supposed she would soon have to get used to the concept of death-her own was inevitable.

Suddenly, a powerful female tone came through on her comlink.

"Ahsoka"-she recognized it as the voice of Master Shaak Ti, whom she didn't usually speak to-"where are you! Something terrible had happened and I need you down here right now!"

She pushed the small button to respond. "Hang in there, Master."

Her eyes snapped up, staring off at the horizon for only a second, before she took a step forward, and let herself fall off the edge. Pinning her arms at her sides to reduce the amount of pressure being put on her as the wind pushed up on her body, she held her breath, watching the ground come at her like a storm. The hood was ripped off her head, lashing out behind her with the rest of her robe. Within the cold air was the heavy scent of smoke; the forthcoming steps of the Temple were laden with death. Wrapping her fingers around the hilt of her lightsaber, she readied herself for impact.

She landed in a crouch, with one hand on the stone surface balled into a fist, and the other out to the side with her green lightsaber blade already ignited. The sounds of blaster fire and lightsaber collisions mingled in with cries of pain filled her ears from the colossal entrance hall. She stood and slowly ascended the steps to the top, then surveying the scene before her. What she saw happening completely broke her. There were dozens of clones, those she had fought beside for years, murdering the Jedi that were trying in desperation to defend their home. The soldiers killed without a second thought; they fired rounds into their previous generals like the Jedi were just targets to practice on. Ahsoka had known about this, but seeing in up close like this wasn't something she was prepared for. Two clones spotted her from a distance, and began shooting at her. Instinctively, she blocked it, managing to direct one of the blasts back to the shooter. The clone wavered a mere instant, and collapsed, dead.

_Did I just..._kill_ him? _Thoughts were parallel in her mind until a much closer traitor fired a blaster rifle from short range. Something was telling her to do what had to be done, but she didn't _want _to. She _couldn't_ bring herself to purposely take the life of one who she potentially could have known.

All at once, the head of the clone was sliced clean off by a green lightsaber blade. The rest of the body fell away to reveal what Ahsoka identified as a Falleen male standing behind it triumphantly. His black eyes laughed at the execution as if it was something he did to clones on a regular basis, until he saw the young woman's facial expression. He frowned, something that was quite surprising in and of itself since his race was supposedly emotionless, from what Ahsoka had learned. Stepping around the carcass, he studied her.

"What is wrong, child?" He asked with a slight accent, his tone even for such a stressful situation. "Are you all right?"

"I...um...yes I..." She put a hand to her forehead, averting the probing gaze. "I'm not used to this _concept_ of destruction."

He seemed to understand, though all he offered was an offhanded nod.

Ahsoka took a deep breath and continued. "I'm looking for Master Ti? Have you seen her?"

"Ah yes, indeed I have. If you allow me, I will take you to her." And with that said he gestured for her to follow him, taking off directly after. When he had taken out a few more clones along the way, he glanced back at her, stating heedlessly, "My name is Master Cobris by the way...what do you go by, child?"

_Not that it matters anyway_. "Ahsoka Tano-I'm not a Master." She said, feeling strange having a simple conversation pertaining to names when people were trying to murder them.

"Naturally." He smirked faintly, skewering another opposer. "I suggest you keep up and stay down, little Ahsoka. You have no need to eradicate any of them, but do not expect me to have a constant eye on who is shooting at you." Moving faster, he expected her to keep up at an equal pace

Cobris showed no mercy to the Temple invaders, slicing through them like they were mindless droids. Ahsoka ran behind him through the enormous atrium past the magnificent statues, now covered in blaster marks. She tried more then once to contact Shaak Ti, but each time the attempt was in vain. Halfway up the steps to the second level, she shed her robe to allow for quicker movement, her lightsaber still activated. Master Cobris slaughtered every single clone along the way, doing so with an impassive face sometimes, and others with an utterly conquering one. Ahsoka just couldn't comprehend how he did it.

Finally, she perceived the figure of the other Togruta Jedi ahead, and Cobris seemed to pick up the pace. When they reached her, she had just run through the last rebelling soldier in the group that had been attacking her.

"Thank the Force!" Shaak Ti exclaimed upon seeing Ahsoka. Her eyes landed on Cobris who bowed his head in greeting. "Master Cobris? I had no idea that you were back from the mission on Barabi so soon..."

"Yes, you see-"

"Never mind! Thank you for helping Ahsoka. I sense that she is troubled about this experience greatly." She looked at Ahsoka, "Come with me, we must hurry!"

They went to the nearest elevator, and without delay, the Jedi Master triggered the doors and practically thrust Ahsoka inside. She looked at Shaak Ti with a mixture of incredulity and panic. Why was she acting like this? What would bother her so much that the normally placid woman would take such a character turn? The alarm in her eyes was real, and Ahsoka noticed that her hands trembled as she placed her lightsaber back on her belt for the time being. For just a moment, both Togrutas scrutinized each other, until...

Shaak Ti stepped inside and typed something in on the keypad, then turning to the young one. "The Council Chamber is where you are going. There you will find a sight I would never want you to see, but you are far enough along to handle."

"I don't know, Master." Ahsoka replied sheepishly. "After what I've just seen, I'm not sure that I can take any other spectacles today."

"I know it is hard"-she went back outside the elevator-"but have faith. Someday this galaxy will be healed from the bloodshed, and from the Force will arise one who will erase all traces."

She was about to thank Shaak Ti, but just as quickly did the door snap shut, and the gut wrenching feeling of being transported upward at breakneck speeds enveloped her. In the back of her mind, a foretelling emotional response loomed like an assassin waiting to strike. Nervously, she clasped her hands together behind her back as she had seen military commanders do so many times before, but it was out of apprehension, not confidence. Shaak Ti had not been specific enough to tell her _what_, or rather _who_ she would find when she arrived at the top, and the fear gnawed at her. She stared out through the transparent walls into the city; they were probably all sleeping as if nothing was happening. Sighing once to let go any distracting feelings that she had, she closed her eyes for a quick minute to focus, reaching into the depths of the Force to try and drawl a hint of what was waiting for her. All she saw was a void, emptied of any traces. Growling in frustration, she quickly released the anger welling up inside of her and brought to mind memories of past times...

...until the elevator came to a gradual stop.

Diffidently, Ahsoka turned to face the doors, and extended an arm to trigger them. Her fingers shook, and it took all the courage she had to do even such a simple action. Immediately after, she pulled back, waiting. It seemed like hours then, with everything so quiet and eerie, before the way was shone to her, and she cautiously took a step out into the dark corridor. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she drew breaths heavier than was normal. The regal, dark red carpet beneath her feet looked so inauspicious to her eyes, and the contrasting light-colored walls added to the effect all the more. Her footsteps were quiet, but her progression down to the Council chamber was delayed in her edginess. She was a youngling all over again, scared of what resided in the darkness.

Stopping just before entering into the equally ominous room, her eyes traveled up around the oval shaped door frame that she was so familiar with. Recollections of many years back flooded her mind all over again, before she crossed the threshold.

Upon her first stride, the toe of her shoe bumped into something, and slowly, she looked down to see what it was. She held back a gasp, and her heart melted into grief. Her foot had collided with a body; a _dead_ body. But it was no clone. It was a child-a youngling, she observed sadly. The little girl lay on her side, facing Ahsoka with a silent scream on her lifeless face. Her hands splayed out in strange directions, and her legs were positioned stiffly strait, as if she had fallen as soon as pain had come to her. The most appalling aspect of this poor casualty was a perfect circle, about an inch in width on her neck. There wasn't the smallest hint of blood anywhere on her...Quickly, Ahsoka's eyes traveled past the girl, hoping that her theory was wrong. _No!_ She screamed in her thoughts, drawing a strangled breath through her mouth. There were other bodies, dozens of youngling corpses strewn around the chamber. Odds were that they all died by the same means...

All feelings of foreboding were replaced. All theories were concluded. Questions that she had been struggling to sort out for the past few months were answered, as she knew at last.

Pure horror flickered to life within her, for there, standing in the very center of the chamber, was Anakin Skywalker.

He glared at her with the ferocity of an animal. His black robe hung around him and its voluminous hood draped over his head, creating shadows over his hardened countenance. Eyes surrounded in violent gold and blood-red shades eyed her, like any predator would. But...how could this possibly be him? He would never look at her like this! He would never seem to have such hostile intentions. However, the more she reacquainted herself with her Master's features, she noticed that in his hand he held the hilt of his lightsaber; his fingers wrapped around it in an unbreakable grip, and the individual veins in his wrist displayed the intense power behind the hold. The stance he held was rigid, and as unmoving as a bolder. Only his eyes moved. With all these sickeningly real details, Ahsoka came to the heartbreaking comprehension that this _thing_ wasn't Anakin. It wasn't the Master who had trained her. It wasn't her friend and mentor. It wasn't even a shell of the one she once knew. This, was a warped and twisted representation of evil...a Sith.

"Master..." She murmured desolately. _What have you done?_

Anakin angled his head to the side very slowly. He placed his foot slightly in front of him, like he was going to approach her, but instead opened his mouth to say something. The voice that emerged was his own, not the one Ahsoka thought it would be, but in some way, it was also very different; sinisterly calm. "Why are you here, Ahsoka?" A faint twitch in the hand that held his lightsaber.

"I...I don't know." She denied the knot forming in her throat.

He looked like he would speak to her again, but his animalistic eyes then moved behind her, and subsequently Ahsoka heard the imminent multiple footfalls. Dreading who was coming, she froze, not turning around. Her previous Master continued to stare, and when the footsteps came to a stop, he talked to the head of the unspecified group. "Captain, have you dealt with all the rest of the children?"

"Yes sir." Said the voice of a clone. "They are all dead; we made sure."

Anakin nodded vaguely. "Now kill this one and we'll be on our way." He began walking towards the door with purpose. The placement of each step made clear his lack of control. He wanted to kill her himself, but knew he couldn't. Ahsoka knew he must be caught up in a web of lies to be this far down the path to evil-to already be on the Dark Side of the Force. The emotional anguish in her heart told her all she needed to know. Her blue eyes followed Anakin around in a half-circle; he didn't look at her even once. Hate clouded all preceding feelings of paternal care, and he couldn't prevent it. As much as she tried reaching into his mind, she found the action incessantly stopped midway by some invisible energy. She now understood why the Council members had found it difficult to find out many things in the war: because the Dark Side had obscured their abilities. Frustrated, she turned around when Anakin got to the door, and saw...

_Oh...my..._

"Rex?" She addressed breathlessly. The clone captain bristled, standing a little straighter and unyieldingly. It _was_ him. She knew immediately by the markings on his helmet. But...he was supposed to be dead! No matter what they had told her, here he was, with a few subordinates behind him. He seemed hesitant, to say the least, like he was experiencing contradicting sentiments about his orders.

Anakin paused next to him, and with his back turned to Ahsoka, he ordered in that ever calm tone, "This won't be too much of a _problem_ will it, Captain?"

Rex still looked at Ahsoka, but spoke to Anakin. "Of course not, sir. We do what you say."

"Excellent. When you are done here, report to Commander Cody in the Outer Rim world he is currently securing. I have business to attend to." Anakin watched his former Padawan over his shoulder coldly, one last time, and walked out without a word. It was all Ahsoka could to stop herself from breaking down. This, _all_ of this, was too much! How was she supposed to cope with the fact that her friend would never be so again? And now Rex was going to kill her, under the impression that she was just another Jedi vermin that needed to be wiped out like the rest. Maybe she was, but he should have least known who she was! She had worked beside him almost all through the war! How could he not remember? How couldn't any of them remember? They stood there, seeing what she would do, when she decided that now was the time to speak.

"Rex," she said again, trying very hard to rein in her voice. He made a small head motion to show that he was listening. "I know you don't recognize me, but know this: if you recall back to earlier days I think you may remember _something_..."

He tilted his head to stare at the ground, then back at her. "I...don't forget."

What? Had he just said what she thought he said?

"Ex-excuse me?" Ahsoka stammered. "What did you say?"

Rex raised his hands to his helmet and removed it from his head. His expression was hard. "I _said_, that I don't forget. I know _very well_ who you are. I'm not _blind_." An even more intense gaze bored into her, and the three troopers standing behind him exchanged glances. "I'm just following orders." He finished with what sounded a lot like regret.

Choked up at last, Ahsoka could barely talk correctly. "I know you are. _I know you are_! You were always so submissive! You were...you were always..." She trailed off, unable to go on. Making an effort to blink back the tears was to no avail, and they tumbled down her face, in front of these uncaring, traitorous soldiers. Ahsoka felt so weak. She should have never replied to Shaak Ti's call for her assistance, then none of this would have happened. Anger swiftly overcame her, and with her whole body quivering from her sobs, she screamed at them in a frightfully dark voice. "Do what you want! I don't care anymore, do you hear me? Kill me! I have nothing left! All of my friends have died ore betrayed me and the Order is breaking! So kill me! Do you understand! Do what you were told and _kill me_!" It ended with a snarl that scared even her.

The three regular clones were also startled by it, and referred to their captain for instruction. Rex's eyes were wide by this point, and his right hand had automatically gone to one of his blaster pistols, but he withdrew it when he realized the veracity of the situation. He glanced at his men, who could not return his look of unease with their helmets still on. They offered no more than a shrug of their shoulders, and one inquired, "Why isn't she dead yet, sir?"

"Because we haven't _killed_ her yet!" Rex snapped, sarcastic despite what was happening. "Would you just shut up and let me think?"

Ahsoka slowly made her way to the back wall between two of the Council chairs and slid down onto the floor as the small argument took place. She hugged her knees to her chest and scrutinized the soldiers, still not barring the tears from coming. Why she simply sat down was beyond her, but her head felt dizzy, and her legs seemed not to support her any longer, so she found solace upon dropping down to the floor. The four men at the entrance blurred in short intervals, and Ahsoka finally resorted to closing her eyes all together. She thought she heard was sounded like an aggravated sigh from one of the clones, and she all but lost it again, however her control over her anger had materialized. Listening distantly, she heard Rex talking to them once more.

"I'm not going to refuse directives." He was saying, without moving as far as Ahsoka saw. "But I want you three to leave; this job is personal."

"Sir?" One input. "I think you're overeacting a bit..."

"Are you defective, trooper? Do what your told!" Rex retorted sharply, one way or another more cruel than he used to be. "Get. Out."

Ahsoka didn't see, but they _did_ eventually take their exit, leaving only their captain in the room when the two doors hissed shut. She did not expect that he would be merciful, if the influence he was under was truly valid. Not looking at him, and keeping her eyes closed, she heaved a sigh, mingling with her quick intakes of breath. She coughed once, against the pressure in her throat, and raised her head at last. Rex was standing a few feet in front of her. He had placed his helmet safely just inside the door, and observed her silently. It was quite discomfited actually-seeing him after three years thinking that he was dead. She tried to say something; anything that might sway the clone's mind to disregard what he had been ordered to do for just once, but she knew she couldn't. Her mind was prepared for death, as she had told them. She hadn't been bluffing...not by a long shot.

Rex kept his eyes on her, while removing both blasters from his belt and guardedly placing them on the floor on either side of him. He lifted his arms up in front of him, and bowed his head, indicating his partial reconciliation. His deep brown eyes flicked up, and he dropped his hands. He said nothing. He didn't need to. With these actions, he was telling her wordlessly that he couldn't bring himself to kill her. Ahsoka studied him unblinkingly, grasping what his acts justified.

"_What_...?" She faltered. "I don't understand."

"Isn't it obvious?" He answered, his voice lowered so that anyone standing outside could not hear what he was saying. "You can keep your life."

Ahsoka nodded rapidly, but was still confused. "I know, but why would you do something like that? You're not _supposed_ to defy orders." It was said with what was intended as light scorn.

Rex kneeled down and she lowered her gaze even more. "Look, I don't have time to explain my rationale, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

He was so sincere when he asked, that Ahsoka had to agree. "Yes. Yes I can." She concurred quietly.

Getting to his feet, Rex offered his hand, and she took it. "Break the window." He directed, motioning towards the glass surface on the far wall. Ahsoka wondered where he was going with this, and was about to object, but stopped herself when she remembered that this was all to help her stay alive.

Walking over to the window, she held her lightsaber firmly in both hands, and ignighted it through the transparent barrier. The glass cracked and exploded outward into the smoke-filled night, leaving Ahsoka standing there with her weapon extended out over the edge. She looked downward, and saw that the upper roof of the Temple was a couple hundred feet away. Not bad, but if she landed wrong it could cause problems. With this accomplished, she accredited Rex almost gladly when he came to stand beside her, his arms crossed.

"I always wondered what Coruscant would look like from up here." He stated ruefully, turning to her after a moment. "What are you gonna do now that so many are dead?"

_Factoring in that you were one of the ones that killed them_...? She nearly countered, but held her tongue. He had proven himself to have more compassion then the rest. If it had been any other clone, she would be dead right now. But Rex wasn't like them. It was then, that she knew that because of this, she could never see or contact him again. It would sacrifice his life to do that, for after this he would go on and tell his men that he had killed her, and move on with his life. Hopefully he would forget her, and she him. Friends were not soon put out of one's mind, especially Ahsoka's, since Anakin had all but broken her with his betrayal. Emotionally distraught, she considered her answer to his question thoroughly, and came to a heartrending conclusion.

"I'll have to go into hiding, like the rest of the living. I can't be seen since I'm supposed to be dead."

Rex chuckled. "It's not that bad. I did it for over three years."

"Yeah, and I'll never forgive you for it!" She forced a sad smile, even then imperceptibly crying. Her smile turned back to a frown.

Suddenly, a loud voice at the door sent shivers down her spine. "Captain! Admit us!" One of his charges shouted, the stress he was under clear.

"Go! Or I'll be the death of you!" Ahsoka cried, her hands balled into fists.

Reaching out to her face, he wiped away her tears with his thumb, and leaned down to kiss her forehead in an undying farewell. She wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest, wishing she had more time.

"You already are." He told her in an undertone.

The last thing she saw of the clone was the miserable look in his eyes when he pushed her over the edge. She felt herself falling...falling incredibly fast and far; saw the roof below the tower and flipped in preparation of a landing.

For the last time, Ahsoka said goodbye to all that she thought she knew, and disappeared off into the Coruscanti night...

They were coming, Rex knew this, and he had to act quickly. They would know he had helped her, even if he tried to lie, and he would not die in the hands of his own brothers. Calmly, he strode over to where he had laid down his helmet, and then went to the spot where his blasters were. He paused there, and brought the blue, black and white helmet around to where he could look at it once more. In a kind of daze, Rex took up one of his weapons, running his fingers over it.

"Sir! What's wrong sir! Let us in!" The voice on the other side continued.

With his hand steady, he raised the pistol up and placed the barrel beneath his chin, taking a deep breath, his finger on the trigger.

His mind traveled back to all the faces he had beheld in his life, the places he had seen over the course of the war, and finally, to a friend whose face would forever haunt him, even in his death.

_I'm sorry I couldn't be what you wanted_ _little'un_...

And Captain Rex pulled the trigger.


End file.
